


Tis the season (whatever that means)

by JulieVerne



Series: Tis The Season [2]
Category: Discworld - Terry Pratchett, Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:55:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28065066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JulieVerne/pseuds/JulieVerne
Summary: 12 (ish) days of the winter solstice
Relationships: Root | Samantha Groves & Sameen Shaw, Root | Samantha Groves/Sameen Shaw, The Machine/Root | Samantha Groves
Series: Tis The Season [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2072901
Comments: 6
Kudos: 34





	1. Tis the season

14th December, 2017

\---

Shaw always hated this part of this particular mission. Scanning the crowd impatiently from her vehicle, wondering what had changed in the past month.

A head of blonde curls, ESE. Shaw turned her head and sighed in relief as the small human approached the SUV. Shaw rolled down the window of the passenger side.

"Get in kiddo," Shaw called through the window, but Gen stood still, as she did every time Shaw picked her up from her boarding school. "C'mon, get in," Shaw said, feigning impatience.

"You do this every month. Hug first, then you load my gear, then I get in."

Shaw rolled her eyes and opened her car door. Looking around but seeing no one obviously watching them she scooped her ward into a bear hug.

"You're squashing me," Gen said, but she didn't pull away; instead her arms came around to grasp Shaw tighter.

Shaw pulled away a little and looked over the barely-teen. "They feeding you alright?" Shaw asked, hands on Gen's shoulders.

"Not as well as you," Gen said by rote, and Shaw nodded, pleased every time she heard it.

"Got a couple of steaks out for when we get back," Shaw said gruffly, looking away.

"Same place?" Gen asked as Shaw flung Gen's suitcase into the boot.

Shaw closed the door and nodded before opening the passenger door for Gen.

"Yeah, for now. Leave the party line alone though," Shaw smirked.

"I was just a kid," Gen protested, grinning as she got into the car.

"Still are," Shaw said as she slid into the driver's seat. "Buckle up, Bear is waiting on us."

\----

14th December, 2014

\---

Shaw didn't miss her family at Christmas; didn't think much of the tradition. But when she came home to her empty apartment there was a wrapped present on the table.

Shaw drew her gun as she approached it, then strode around the rest of the one-room apartment. Whoever it was, they were gone. Shaw tucked away her gun and walked back to the table. She sliced the paper off with a knife, revealing a bottle of hot sauce purportedly made of Carolina Reapers. Her mouth almost watered at the label.

There was no card; it wasn't necessary.

\---

14th December, 2017

\---

Bear went into circles of delight when Shaw opened the door to the house they were staying in. Shaw carried the suitcase through to Gen's room as Gen and Bear had an excited reunion. Shaw left the suitcase on the bed and watched the dog and girl wrestle on the ground by the sofa. She patted Bear on the head as she walked past to the kitchen.

"This is why you're not allowed at the school anymore," Shaw said warningly as Bear barked out his joy.

\---

Gen sat at the table, freshly showered, waiting expectantly for dinner with a book on thermal energy.

"It's nice to be home," Gen said as Shaw served dinner, a balanced meal with vegetables for Gen's growing body and a third steak that had only touched the pan for Bear.

"If you like the place so much, I'll buy it," Shaw said as she sat. "But you know I have to keep moving. It can be yours some day."

"That's not what I meant," Gen mumbled, and Shaw looked away.

"My leave runs out in the New Year, but Uncle Finch and Aunt Grace have offered to have you over in California. Aunty Zoe and Uncle Fusco have offered too, so it's down to you to choose."

Gen's face dropped, and Shaw felt like a heel.

"Maybe I can get some more time off?" Shaw offered. It wasn't like she was the only one on her team; it was just that she was the escalation. She was older now, and she felt the bullet wounds she'd had over the years as soon as October came around. She had been spending less time in the field anyway, maybe she could do some admin work from home, coordinate the teams. On top of that new programmer Finch had hired kept trying to update The Machine's voice and Shaw worried that if she left it too long he would follow through. Shaw made a mental note to follow up with Finch; although he was technically retired, he still consulted. "I know they were excited to see you, but New York is a bit much for Uncle Finch these days. The streets are too slippery." Shaw sighed. "We'll make it work. You only have a month off, after all."

Gen smiled shyly.

"You know I'd rather... but I can't work with you here. It's too dangerous. You need a stable home and if I'm working I'm on the move," Shaw sighed again. She loved her work but Gen asked for barely anything, and Shaw always found herself enjoying the time she spent with her ward almost as much as she enjoyed shooting someone through a wall, in the dark.

"I know, Shaw," Gen said carefully. "I'm fine with wherever I go."

"But you'd rather be here," Shaw said flatly.

"I'm only in it for the dog," Gen deadpanned, and Shaw laughed. Gen's face lit up the same way it did when she landed a rocket or did something else rare and unexpected. Shaw grinned at Gen over the table and shook some sauce onto her steak.

Carolina Reaper sauce.


	2. Finchmas

15th December, 2014

\---

Shaw strolled into the subway with a large box.

"You're looking pale, Finch," Shaw said, as Finch unpacked the UV lamp. Shaw tossed some vitamin D gummies on the desk. "I'm worried about your bones."

Finch looked up at Shaw awkwardly, felt her appraising gaze on the way his neck caught as he turned, and wondered what would have happened if Shaw had become a doctor. He knew why she wasn't; he also knew that an AXIS II disorder made for awfully good surgeons, due to their ability to disconnect completely from the fact that they were working on a living, breathing human and focus on the tissues and sinews that ran through the human body end to end. He wondered what his life would have been like if someone like Shaw had operated on him, after the explosion. He wondered if Shaw was just itching to cut him open, lay him flat and cut away at his overgrown cartilage, tease loose his trapped nerves.

"It's very kind of you, Shaw," Finch said humbly, and watched as Shaw fidgeted, obviously uncomfortable. This strong, independent and incredibly violent woman was embarrassed about being worried about his bones.

"It's winter and it's freezing down here. You ever coming above ground?"

"I need to stay with it... her," Finch corrected himself, and Shaw sighed. Root popped her head out of the carriage.

"Shaw's right," Root said. "I can watch her a couple of times a week and you can take a walk in the park. Maybe even uncover your arms?" Root asked with a flirtatious tone.

"I'm out," Shaw announced. She tossed a pack of multivitamin gummies on the desk as well. "Stay safe," she yelled behind her as she left.

Root came out of the carriage, looked over the vitamins.

"You know, she has a kind heart, underneath it all," Finch said to Root, who merely smirked and went back to The Machine.

\--

15th December, 2017

___

When Shaw woke up, Gen was sitting on her bed, reading a book, Bear sprawled across the both of them. Shaw groaned.

"Privacy kid, y'ever heard of it?"

"You said last night we were going to the museum of natural history," Gen reminded Shaw, and Shaw groaned again. Bear licked her face and Shaw sat up slowly.

"Gen, it's 6am. It doesn't open until 8, you nerd."

"I read that parking is a nightmare," Gen said.

"Not if we take the subway," Shaw countered, but she sat up and stretched. Gen's eyes widened as she caught sight on a scar on Shaw's shoulder.

"Right. Privacy," Gen said, jumping off the bed. "When are we leaving?"

"If you get the coffee started, we can head out after 7. There's a great breakfast place on the way I've been meaning to take you, but I need a shower and to take Bear to his sitter."

\---

Shaw knocked on a door, still yawning. Lee Fusco opened it, and Bear immediately leapt up to put his paws on the teenager's shoulders.

Lee laughed. "Good to see you too, buddy," he said. Lionel came to the door behind him, rubbing his eyes.

"Thanks for taking him for the day," Shaw said.

"You know I got your back. Kid ok?"

"Yeah, I'll bring her by when I come for Bear if you'd like?"

"We can put something together for dinner, if you have the time?" Lionel countered, hand absently stroking Bear's head.

"Sounds good. You sticking around for the holidays?" Shaw asked Lee, and he nodded happily. "We can catch up tonight then, Gen's pretty excited about the museum so I'd better get her on the rails."

The Fusco door shut behind her as she walked away.

\---

Museums weren't Shaw's thing; too many people, not enough exits. She liked the dinosaurs though, and the rest of the skeletons, but the taxidermies freaked her out. Gen was attracted to the space rooms, excitedly talking about the properties of certain meteorites like Shaw understood, which she did a bit. She'd been following Gen's school reports, had been doing a bit of reading but it was beyond her the way that little brain retained every piece of information she'd ever come across. Thornhill still made generous donations to the school, now that Thornhill was back on its feet, but Gen had won every scholarship available to her. The school should be paying her, Shaw thought for a moment, then snorted. It wasn't long now, even with Gen only being 13, before universities started sending her offers. 

Gen was fascinated by the old technology room as well, and Shaw pointed out the old PS3's, the first gen.

"I had... a friend... who built an entire supercomputer on them," Shaw said, swallowing in the middle of her sentence. "Your aunty Sam, I don't know if you remember her."

Gen read the card, which explained that there were still several systems like the one Shaw had just described still running in multiple countries, even with the obsolescence of the original OS that allowed for the odd use of the consoles, due to a patch that had been distributed globally; the main use of the supercomputer clusters was medical research in which hundreds of TFOP were required.

"She did that," Shaw choked out. "She released her hack to the larger community and they ran with it." Gen looked up at Shaw, took her hand and led her away from the exhibit.

Shaw's face hardened again, and Gen let go of her hand, wandered over to to an interactive console, an old Macintosh running Oregon Trail.

"I remember playing this as a kid," Gen said excitedly.

"I think everyone does," Shaw said, and looked away. "Some sort of shared human experience."

\---

15th December 2014

\---

Root kicked her feet up on the table, letting a script run on The Machine as she perused a book, one with a garish blue cover with a skeleton driving a sled on it.

Finch came in and tutted at Root's feet on the table. Root swung her feet down and turned to look at Finch.

He coughed uncomfortably. "Miss Shaw is a good person," he started.

"I know," said Root, and she turned back to her book. Finch looked over the code Root had been working on.

"Did you manage to push the update to the PSN?" Finch asked.

"Slipped it right through the back door, along with a secure OtherOS update. We should be able to add a few more consoles, switch out the YLOD ones tomorrow. I'll do the patching tomorrow night." Root looked up at Finch again. "Shaw was right, you do look pale. You go under the lamp, I'll wake you when I leave so you don't burn."

Finch let his hand rest on Root's shoulder for a moment.

"Miss Shaw is not the only one with a kind heart, Miss Groves," he said, touched by her concern. Root's hand covered Finch's for a moment, then she went back to her book. Finch heard her reading aloud to The Machine and chuckled to himself.

\--

15th December, 2017

___

Shaw stood up from the kitchen table, stretching.

"Time to go, kiddo," she called as she walked into the longue room. She stopped when she saw Gen, asleep sitting up with a Switch controller in her hand. "Big day, huh?" Shaw shook Gen's shoulder, put the controller on the coffee table.

"She's been out for half an hour," Lee said, still playing Mario Kart. "At least this way I get to win a race." Shaw smiled as she hefted Gen into her arms. 

"Come on, Bear," Shaw said as she carried Gen out to the car. Fusco walked them out, opened the car door for Shaw.

"Bring her around any time. You know I'm not good with the video games, Lee keeps kicking my ass. Does him some good to learn how to lose graciously."

"Thanks, Fusco," Shaw said Fusco patted the bonnet and raised a hand as Shaw backed out of the driveway, and Shaw raised a hand to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case it is not clear, Root is reading Hogfather by Sir Terry Pratchett (GNU).


	3. Chapter 3

16th December, 2014

\---

Shaw drove to Gen's school with Root riding shotgun, both of them sniping at each other on the way. Root enjoyed Taylor Swift, which Shaw emphatically did not.

Root sang along to 'You belong with me', making doe eyes at Shaw at the chorus, and Shaw steamed silently, keeping her eyes on the night road. At the end of the song, Shaw leant over and rifled through the stack of CDs Root bought for the road trip. She pulled out a Steve Miller CD and popped it in.

"My dad liked him, OK?" Shaw said defensively, and Root smiled, filed that away with her other information on Shaw, knowing that Shaw wouldn't admit that to anyone else.

\---

Shaw handed Gen an armful of presents.

"We all wanted to give you something. Must be hard, being alone in a boarding school for the holidays." Shaw knows that Root has given the kid a state of the art laptop she picked up somewhere, and Shaw is a little embarrassed of the portrait of Bear that she bought for the girl. "I wish we could take you somewhere, but I'm not supposed to even be here. If they find me..."

"I know," Gen said, eyes shining. "It means a lot that you came."

Root knocked on the door then, stepped inside.

"We have to hurry," Root said. "Sorry kid."

Gen looked Root over for a moment, then pulled in Shaw real close. Shaw crouched so Gen could speak to her quietly.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Gen asked, and in this moment Shaw was thankful that Root was half deaf.

"That's your... aunty Sam, I guess?" Shaw said, shrugging at Root, who rolled her eyes and nodded. "She's the one who updated me as your guardian when my identity changed. Paid your fees this year, too."

"Oh. Thank you... aunty Sam." Gen said, half behind Shaw still, a little wary of the stranger.

"Gotta go, Shaw. The cameras will be coming back online in two minutes and we need to be out of here by then. Can't write off any longer in downtime."

"Bye kid. Be good." Shaw said, and Gen flung herself at Shaw, who awkwardly patted Gen on the back.

Shaw and Root slipped away into the night, and Gen heard a car start before seeing the glow of the red light of the camera in the hall.

\---

16th December, 2017

\---

Shaw wandered through the house, making herself a coffee. Gen appeared a little later, rubbing at her eyes, feet warm in fluffy purple slippers.

"Can I have a coffee?" Gen asked.

"It'll stunt your growth. Trust me," Shaw said.

"I'm nearly a grown-up," Gen pouted.

"Gen, you're 13. What kind of parent would I be if I let you drink coffee?"

"An even better one," Gen said, smiling. "Coffee?"

Shaw sighed and made a very weak coffee, with a lot of frothed milk.

"This is good!" Gen said.

"Wait until you taste the coffee," Shaw said, watching Gen's face and laughing as she hit the bitter liquid. Gen smacked her lips, then shrugged.

"I mean it. You are a good parent," Gen said quietly, still sipping at her coffee.

"I'm not a parent. Not really. I'm just a guardian. I don't know what I'm doing."

"You're doing well. I know your work is dangerous and you've always been responsible about keeping me safe. Better than anyone else did."

Shaw looked over. "It's easy to excel when the bar is so low. Go put something warm on. Snow's melted and I was thinking about going to the park. Got spare beanies and scarves on the coatrack."

Gen nodded and took her coffee with her to go get dressed. 

"Do you need a new coat?" Shaw asked after her. "Looks like you've grown again."

"One came in the mail last week, care of Thornhill Industries." Shaw smiled. The Machine buzzed happily in her earpiece, followed by a quiet "she's growing so fast, I'm keeping L.L. Bean in business"

"Thanks," Shaw said quietly. "I'll take her shopping this afternoon."

"I checked her search history and got the one she liked," The Machine said, Root's voice sounding hurt.

"Sometimes you just have to take your kid clothes shopping," Shaw said kindly. 

\---

16th December, 2014

\---

Root eyed Shaw as she drove through the night. 

"Thanks for taking the cameras out. That poor kid, stuck there over school break," Shaw sighed.

"Finch says she enjoys her studies, that she's highly intelligent."

"Yeah, she is, but it must suck, being alone in there over the holidays." Root thought back to the previous night, to what Finch had said about Shaw's kind heart. Remembered how Shaw's father had died while she was young, wondered what, if anything, Shaw was feeling.

"You did what you could," Root said finally. "She understands."

"She understands too much. She's just a kid," Shaw huffed in frustration.

"And she knows that the further away from her you are, the safer she is," Root said placidly.

Shaw nodded finally. She looked over at Root.

"Really, thanks. I know Finch worries about her."

"It's easier to hide you than him. You're a good guardian. And as for the cameras, you can owe me," Root said, resting her hand on Shaw's thigh. Shaw ignored the come on and let the hand stay; at least it was warm. "I'm behind on patching. Come to the subway tomorrow night and give me a hand?" Shaw nodded and removed Root's hand from her knee, changing gear as sped away from a recently red traffic light.

They were halfway home before Shaw realised she didn't say no to Gen's question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You might have noticed the year change; I need this to be in 2017 now to match the age I imagined Gen to be.
> 
> I'm planning on daily updates but we'll see how we go - I'm @julietteverne on twitter (look for the ridiculous pink bird) and will tweet how I'm tracking. I'm finally enjoying writing something again.
> 
> If you're enjoying this, please let me know.


	4. Chapter 4

December 17, 2014

\---

Shaw woke up in the early evening as the door to her apartment opened and closed. She had a gun trained on Root as Root switched on the light, one arm hanging oddly. Root grimaced and Shaw kept her gun up a couple of seconds longer than she really needed to.

“It’s either broken or dislocated, and I didn’t feel like heading to the ER,” Root said by way of explanation.

“So you came here instead? You know I have a 9-5, Root,” Shaw chastised, getting to her feet. “And I don’t know I’m going to be much help if it’s broken. Don’t exactly have a plaster station in my home.”

“You’ll figure something out. You’re quite the MacGyver.” Root blinked winsomely at Shaw a few times.

Root started trying to remove her shirt but stopped, flinching when it jostled her bad arm. Shaw stepped forward and felt the shoulder as gently as she could.

“Want to tell me what happened?” Shaw asked as she stepped into the kitchen for scissors.

“Ducked when I should have weaved,” Root said shortly. Shaw snipped the hem of the shirt, then slid the scissors up, pulling the shirt apart across the chest. Shaw looked away suddenly, then back again to cut away the sleeve of the shirt. She felt the joint again. 

“Dislocated,” Shaw said finally. “This is going to hurt,” Shaw warned, grasping the humerus and feeling for the socket.

“Good,” Root said breathlessly, right before she passed out.

\---

December 17, 2017

\---

Shaw picked up the static she knew so well as she and Gen walked down a street, Bear trotting happily beside them.

“Wait here,” Shaw said, putting Gen in an alcove before peering around the corner.

There they were, Harper behind a plant and Joey on the rooftop across the way. Shaw scanned the crowded street, looking for Logan. Damn, she was out of the game for two days and she was left out of a sting? That stung.

“You need to leave,” The Machine said sternly.

“You could have warned me earlier,” Shaw growled. “I got the kid with me.” Shaw spun around and shoved Gen in front of her as she quickly walked away. She heard a yell behind her and turned. “Stay behind me,” she said quietly as she pulled a gun from her waistband.

\---  
December 17, 2014

\---  
Root finally stirred as Shaw looked over from cleaning her gun. Shaw's gun was clean; it was always clean, but she’d felt a need to clean it again and again while Root slept topless on Shaw’s mattress. Root tried to sit up but one arm was restrained in a sling. Shaw came over to help her sit up.

“I was supposed to patch tonight,” Root fretted. "We keep frying the boxes. She's running on fumes."

“You won’t be doing much of anything if you don’t keep that shoulder stable for the next few days. It’s likely to slip back out." Shaw helped Root sit up, then removed her hands from Root’s pale, uncovered skin. She pulled out a zippered hoodie from a drawer and threw it over Root’s shoulders, pulled it closed over her chest. The zippered edges of the hoodie fell away as Root moved.

“I can’t go out like this,” Root said, looking down at her exposed torso. “Are we going to have a sleepover again?” Root asked, blinking flirtatiously. 

“I’ve only got the one bed,” Shaw sniped.

“You should get a couch,” Root said. "Any furniture, really."

“With what money? I’m a counter girl now, Root. I can’t access any of my money, and I'm dead so I don’t get a pension.” Shaw put her gun away, sat back in the chair.

“I could get you a couch, but your bed is too comfortable.” With that Root lay back down and closed her eyes. 

\---  
December 2017

\---

Hearing no gunfire, Shaw slipped the gun into the shadow between her body and the edge of her coat and moved Gen along in front of her again. Shaw was no stranger to having to escort a civilian; not even this civilian in particular. But she was more keyed up than usual; maybe it was because she hadn’t shot anyone for a few days.

They were two streets away when they heard the first shot. Shaw grasped Gen by the upper arm, yelled a Belgian command to Bear who promptly bolted, and propelled Gen away from the gunfire. She knew Gen needed no urging, knew Gen was hurrying but still she couldn't help herself.

They were six streets away before Shaw said anything.

"Sorry for pushing you around back there. Instinct," Shaw said gruffly. "Hope I didn't hurt you."

"I'm fine. You were protecting me."

"I shouldn't have put you in that situation in the first place," Shaw said, raising her fingers to her lips and whistling for Bear, who pulled up alongside moments later.

"You can't help random shootings," Gen said logically.

"Wasn't random. She knew, and she didn't tell me until we nearly walked into it."

"Who?" Gen asked

"The... the voice in my ear," Shaw said carefully. "The one that tells me when there's a threat nearby.

"Oh, Shaw, you're on leave. Can't you..."

"If I had, we would have kept walking. Right into a shoot out." Shaw's comms kicked in again, the team checked in one by one and stated that their target was acquired.

"Open fire in the streets, guys," Shaw said warningly, and the team had the sense to sound abashed. Shaw wondered if she was getting old, getting more careful. She looked over at the subdued teen next to her. "Don't worry, kid," she said easily. "Your number's not up yet. Now, where were we going?"

"The library," Gen said excitedly.

"Luckily, I know a shortcut," Shaw said, and led Gen to an abandoned subway station, the other entrance of which exited at the library. Shaw looked over the empty tracks with a sigh.

\---

December 17, 2014

\---

Shaw watched Root, lying still and apparently asleep. Shaw still had work in a few hours, and the bed was the only comfortable surface to sleep in her place. Just as she was about to give in and slip under the sheets next to Root - damned if she'd let that pest steal her own bed - Root piped up.

"Not joining me?" Root asked.

"Floor's better," Shaw said instantly, and turned off the lights.

She stole her sheets back though, because damned if she'd let Root hog the covers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cannot recommend even partially dislocating a shoulder, let alone a shoulder blade.
> 
> Reviews welcomed.


	5. Chapter 5

\---

18th December, 2014 

\---

Shaw woke up on the hard carpeted floor of her apartment to quiet swearing. Root had removed the sling and was trying to tug a shirt - one of Shaw' shirts - over her head. Shaw stood up, throwing her sheets back onto her bed, and pulled the shirt back off where it was caught on Root's head.

"Button down would have got you out of here without waking me up," Shaw said, matter-of-factly. She produced a button down and held out the sleeve for the arm that was already a rainbow of bruises, then dropped it. "If you're not going to wear the sling, I can tape you up for a bit of support. I was serious about it coming back out - your ligaments are still stretched out and until they tighten back up your shoulder could dislocate again."

"Then can you tape me, please?" Shaw looked over at the alarm clock.

"Yeah, I got time. Sit down, and pull that out of the way unless you want it stuck to you." On her way to get the first aid kit from the kitchen, Shaw snapped the shoulder strap of Root's bra lightly. Shaw came back with some tape, and Root obligingly moved the strap, giving Shaw a view straight down the cup. "Uh... actually it's fine where it was."

"Never expected a doctor to be such a prude," Root said cajolingly.

"Not a doctor," Shaw said through gritted teeth. She cut off a couple of strips of tape and secured the shoulder socket.

"That starts burning or itching, you soak it in baby oil and get it off your skin, ok?" Shaw asked, examining her handiwork.

"I still have patching that needs to be done, and you still owe me a favour," Root said. "Tonight?"

"I would have thought me playing triage would have paid you back," Shaw sniped, rolling the tape back up and fitting it back in her kit.

"It's not for me; not really," Root said, and Shaw knew that was true; it was Root asking, but it was Finch's Machine, it was the means to keep them safe, to keep them working, to keep the American people of the City of New York safe. But still, Shaw hadn't had a decent night's sleep in a while.

"Right after work, and I'm done by 11."

"It'll take days at that rate," Root started, then let herself drift off, smiling up at Shaw. "Deal," Root said, standing. "Now, help me with my shirt?"

"My shirt," Shaw grumbled, but she drew the sleeve up carefully over Root's injured shoulder nonetheless.

\---

18th December, 2017

\---

"She hacked the school camera system, on Christmas, so you could sneak in and give me presents," Gen said. Shaw turned around, slipping her finger in her mouth as she'd sliced herself while cutting the onions. Gen watched her, and finally, Shaw nodded.

"Stuff like that was childsplay to her," Shaw said quietly. "It was what she loved."

"Not really childsplay. I found it tricky," Gen said. "But I was able to reverse engineer what she'd done eventually."

Shaw shook her head. Of course Gen would copy Root.

Gen's head tilted to the side. Kid was always curious about something.

"You miss her, don't you?" Gen asked, and Shaw rubbed an old wound, one Root had given her that hadn't healed right but curled beautifully around her shoulder, almost like it was intentional.

"I miss her like I miss an intestinal parasite," Shaw scoffed, and Gen's eyes widened. "I mean, I guess so. It was nice to have someone else that just... got it, you know?" It occurs to Shaw then that the only living person who even remotely 'got her' was in the room. Reese had; they were from the same cloth really, but John had so many feelings that Shaw always felt projected upon.

"You were friends?" Gen asked. Shaw turned back to chopping vegetables, Gen watching her across the kitchen counter.

"Sometimes. It was complicated. She used to be a bad guy, ambushed me a few times but she never beat me for the fun of it." Shaw put the onions on to start the Ghormeh Sabzi.

"And then?"

"Well, she... she kept doing bad things, just for good reasons instead. And Gen, if the school finds out you've been hacking their cameras..." 

"They won't," Gen said smugly.

"Why would you even want to take the cameras down? Are you sneaking out?" Shaw was suddenly concerned, but Gen laughed.

"No, I go to the kitchen and get a chocolate pudding, then I hole up in the library before an exam."

"You are such a nerd," Shaw snorted. "But just as well. If I find you've been sneaking out for nefarious purposes..."

"I know. I get bored sometimes. Everything in that place has an answer, except for my questions. I want to go outside of those parameters, do something no one else has done. Like your friend, with the consoles."

"Oh, that wasn't new. People had been using them as supercomputers for ages," Shaw said absently, stirring the onions.

"But she hacked the Playstation network so doctors could do research," Gen said, sounding excited.

"That's not why she did it, but she'd be glad they use it. She always did like doctors." With that, Shaw added the meat to the pot. "We just brown this ok? Like my mother taught me."

\---

18 December, 2014

\---

Shaw was never in a good mood after a day behind the makeup counter, and Finch could feel her simmering rage before she even entered the subway.

"Let's get this over with. What do you need doing?" Shaw asked Root.

"These ones," Root pointed to a haphazard pile of consoles, "need to have their OS checked and, if necessary, downgraded. Version 3.2.0 is the last version that will work. Anything higher, put over there," Root pointed to a corner. "These ones," Root said, pointing to neat lines of consoles, "were running the right firmware and have our OS installed. They are ready to replace any failed consoles. I'd rather we start with those. And those ones over there," Root said, pointing to a sad stack in a corner, "are pretty much toast. I'll need them taken apart to see what I can salvage. At this point it might be easier to grab another fresh batch but there's no guarantees that they'll be any better than these." Root sighed. "The hardware is mostly obsolete, and it's been used for years by gamers, who are never kind to hardware." Root sighed again and looked at Shaw. "There are no guarantees," Root said again, slowly, eyes dropping to Shaw's lips. "Once we've replaced as many as we can, I need to run an update on the cluster backend."

"Root, I don't know how to do any of that."

"I can show you how to pull apart a PlayStation, and you know how to replace a console, we've all done it. Just switch out the ones with the YLOD tonight and we'll get fancy tomorrow night."

"I am not spending tomorrow night in the subway again. No offense, Finch," Shaw called.

"Oh, none taken," Finch called back, Bear on his feet watching Shaw wistfully but knowing he had to stay with Finch; he had a habit of getting underfoot whenever someone picked up machinery. For a highly intelligent, highly trained animal, sometimes he could be a big dumb dog.

"Tomorrow night, and the next night and we should be done. It would be faster if I could..." Root moved her shoulder, then hissed with pain.

"I can do tomorrow night, but not the next one," Shaw said, and refused to elaborate. "Don't mind if we work through Christmas."

Root sighed. "Then we get as much done as we can tonight. Read out the macs to me before you switch them out, please," and with that, Root sat at the desk in the subway carriage, watching Shaw swap out consoles and tapping away at the keyboard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My shoulder came out in solidarity with Root this afternoon, which is quite sweet but also not useful when driving a manual vehicle.


	6. WHOLE-ASS WATERMELON

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's... there's a whole-ass watermelon. A whole-ass watermelon.

19 December 2014  
\---

Shaw fell into step beside John; despite their difference in stature, Shaw could keep gait. 

“I’m supposed to be doing Root’s patching,” Shaw groused.

“Well, this is a two-man job. I’ll help you afterward. How did she dislocate her shoulder anyway?”

“She didn’t say,” Shaw said. “You go in front, I’ll take the side. Count to 17?”

“Should do the trick.”

\---

Shaw dispassionately shot one man through the shoulder and threw herself atop the only one still upright. She put him in an armbar and squeezed until she felt him go limp.

“Ahh, I needed that,” Shaw said, twisting her neck until she heard a pop. She and John continued on to the subway, data chip in John's breast pocket.

“So, Root’s been staying with you,” Reese asked casually.

“Just one night. Think she stayed in the subway last night,” Shaw shrugged, like it didn't concern her where Root stayed. In truth, while it had been nice to have her own bed back, it was lonely on her own.

“Listen, Shaw…” Reese started, but Shaw cut him off.

“I know. It’d never work out. Damaged goods,” Shaw growled. Reese was silent a moment, considering.

“At least you’ve stopped shooting each other,” Reese conceded. Shaw snorted.

“Yeah, for now,” Shaw opened the pi-vending machine and Reese closed it behind them.

\---

19 December 2017  
\---

“We need watermelon, pomegranates, nuts… all the summer fruits we can find,” Shaw said, pushing the trolley through the supermarket. “I have everything for Christmas already and the others are all bringing a dish, but the fruit needs to be fresh. And you, my young friend, are going to bed early tomorrow since you’ll be up so late the next night.”

“Midnight isn’t that late,” Gen pouted.

“The tradition is to stay up through the longest night to prevent harm from coming to the people gathered, but I think midnight is late enough.” Shaw stopped by the watermelons.

"They sell them whole here," Gen exclaimed in wonder.

"Sure. Whole-ass watermelons," Shaw muttered darkly under her breath.

"Can we get one?"

"If you think you can eat half, sure."

\---  
19 December, 2014  
\---

Shaw and John swapped out more machines, occasionally setting an untagged one up with a monitor so Root could work on the operating system. When Shaw swapped out the third console, Root grabbed her arm.

"Can you click through the install? My arm isn't holding up as well as I'd like," Root asked. The next moment Shaw's fingers were digging into Root's shoulder socket.

"I meant it hurts, Shaw. From repetitive movements, like mouse clicks," Root relaxed when the probing fingers retreated from her tender shoulder socket.

Shaw leaned over Root to look at the screen, letting go of Root's shoulder.

"What options do I need to choose?"

"Just click through," Root said, reaching for the mouse but wincing.

"I still have replacements to make, can you try your other hand?"

"Too slow. Wait..." Root typed in a few commands, then started using the WASD to control the mouse. "Much better, thanks for the idea," Root looked up at Shaw, and Shaw turned her head at the same time. Faces very close, Root's eyes dropped down to Shaw's mouth. Reese lumbered by with another console and Shaw moved away quickly.

"I didn't do anything," Shaw mumbled.

“This is nice, having the team together,” Root said out loud a few minutes later. “We should do something for Christmas.” Shaw snorted audibly.

“We’re reformed killers and nerds - no offense, Finch - we aren’t going to play happy families,” Shaw said, dumping another PS3 in the dead pile.

“Most workplaces have a Christmas function,” Root insisted. “For morale.”

“Morale has been low,” Finch agreed. “Miss Groves is right. But where?”

\---

Shaw let herself into her apartment, exhausted.

And there on the table was a whole-ass watermelon. 

“Whole-ass watermelon, goddammit Root,” Shaw said, but she smiled as she said it. She looked at the clock; it was just past midnight but she decided against slicing it open now. How did Root even carry this monstrosity up to the walk-up apartment? Shaw shook her head, looked at it again and smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate watermelon. 
> 
> I saw whole-ass watermelons today and they made me so angry. I whole-ass hate whole-ass watermelon. Fight me.
> 
> \---
> 
> In case it isn't obvious, I've done some modding in the past; Nintendo mostly, and Android. I'm no stranger to homebrew and CFW but this is out of my wheelhouse. I've been meaning to hack my PS3 so the info here is based on my best research currently.
> 
> With the Ps5 out I should be able to snag a job lot, and carry out work similar to Team Machine.
> 
> Thanks for reading, please review if you're enjoying this or think it should continue.


	7. WHOLE-ASS GOD-DAMN WATERMELON

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WHOLE-ASS GOD-DAMN WATERMELON, GODDAMMIT.

December 20, 2017

\---

Shaw walked around the Christmas tree farm at random, looking over pine trees disinterestedly.

"They all look like trees to me," Shaw said finally. "How about you pick?"

"I picked last year, it's your turn," Gen insisted, and Shaw shrugged.

"You're the one who likes them, you should get to choose your favourite. I'll like whichever one you choose."

"You promise?" Gem asked, eyes glinting in the afternoon sun as she looked at Shaw.

"Yeah, because you like it." Gen broke into a grin and shot away into the trees.

"One that fits into the house this year, Gen!" Shaw called after her ward. "Less than 7 feet, please!"

\---

December 20, 2014

\---

Shaw felt.... almost guilty, going straight home after work, but it was almost dark and she needed to be in the house by sundown. Reese had been recruited to work on the cluster tonight anyway, so why did she care? She shoved her gloved hands deeper into her pockets as she walked back to her apartment block. It wasn't a traditional Yalda, because she would be alone, but she had been alone on Yalda for years now. Shaw might not make a fuss of traditions, but every year like clockwork she found herself hurrying home by dusk, sitting in a well-lit room, talking to relatives on the phone. Before video-calls she could get away with rolling her eyes, but it was nice to hear stories about her father as a child, about herself as a child, stories about her cousins and the singing of her aunts.

Once upstairs, Shaw locked the door. She did a quick recon of the entire apartment and, satisfied it was empty, sliced the watermelon open, flicking open her laptop and opening Skype.

\---

December 20, 2017

\---

"So... aunty Sam visited me at school that year you were... away." Gen said, trimming the Christmas tree Shaw had dragged inside. Shaw turned, watched Gen incredulously as she climbed on a chair to hang tinsel from a branch. Shaw turned back to the box of decoration; mostly ones Gen had made over the years.

"You didn't mention that when you were talking about her the other day," Shaw said casually.

"Well, you sounded mad at her."

"I'm not mad at her. I'm mad she's gone. Did she treat you well?"

"She mostly took me to diners and talked about computers. She was cool. I liked her. She and Fusco used to switch out weekends. He took me to Timezone and we got Wendys on the way back to school."

Shaw fingered a bauble Gen had made their first Christmas together. "Yeah. She was cool." Shaw sighed. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, then."

"it's OK. I know what your life is like." Gen smiled up at Shaw. "Root always said she would find you. I'm glad she did."

"She didn't." Shaw hesitated; they'd talked a little about the simulations; Shaw woke up screaming sometimes, even now, and she'd explained as much as seemed appropriate for a 11 year old. "I was hiding, when I got out, in case I put everyone in danger by contacting them. And when we did meet... I spent months of my life with a simulated version of her, a version too good to be true, where she was... kind to me. Made me feel worthy. Made me feel safe."

"And when you saw her for real she didn't?" Gen asked.

Shaw sighed. "I shouldn't be talking about this with you," Shaw said.

"Romance shouldn't have a gender, Shaw," Gen pointed out. 

"She was the same person she'd always been, when I saw her for real. But the simulated version of her had been based on her. It was very confusing." Shaw hung the bauble on the tree. "You asked yesterday if she was my friend. She was, I think, mostly. I was hers, anyway." Shaw walked into the kitchen. "I thought I told you to put that watermelon away," Shaw called back to the lounge room.

"I did," Gen called back, concentrating on tinsel-to-foliage ratios.

"Then why is it on the kitchen table?" Gen sighed and climbed down from the chair.

"I put it away, see," Gen said, opening the pantry. There was a watermelon on one shelf. Shaw looked between the watermelon on the table and the one in the pantry. Her gun was locked away in the gunsafe upstairs, like it always was when Gen was with her, so she grabbed a knife from the chopping block and stood in front of Gen, pushing Gen behind her into the pantry. There were footsteps, then a woman stepped into view.

"Hey sweetie," Root said, not even looking down at the knife aimed at her. "You miss me?"

\---  
December 20, 2014  
\---

Shaw looked up when the door opened, but she didn't bother to cock the safety off the gun in her hand.

"Happy Yalda," Root said. 

"What are you doing here, Root?" Shaw asked. It was late enough that most of her family had dropped off the call.

"I read that you shouldn't be alone on Yalda. That gathering together prevents harm. Also, that watermelon is very large for one person."

"Then why did you get me an entire whole-ass watermelon, Root?" Root sat at the table next to Shaw, took a slice of watermelon, watched Shaw as Shaw watched her eat it.

"No one should be alone for the longest night of the year," Root said reasonably. Shaw pushed a punnet of strawberries toward Root, who ate a few with apparent enjoyment. "Also, I tried the baby oil, and I can't get the tape off."

Shaw rolled her eyes and Root sheepishly unbuttoned her coat, then unzipped her jacket. The shoulder of Root's shirt was soaked through with oil.

"You've ruined your shirt," Shaw said matter-of-factly as Root started to unbutton it.

"Your shirt," Root quipped and Shaw grunted loudly in disapproval.

\---

December 20, 2017

\---

Shaw was frozen, staring. Gen moved first, stepped around Shaw, taking the knife away from her and putting it on the table before stepping forward and hugging Root.

"Shaw said you were dead, but Finch said that about her too and she's not dead, so I kind of hoped..." Gen babbled. Shaw stared, blinked and stared again. 

"I'm really here," Root said, stepping forward. "I'm ok." Shaw surged forward then, caught Root against her so tightly that Root's lungs emptied in a rush and it took Root a few moments to bring her arms around Shaw to return the hug.

"How?" Shaw asked finally, against Root's collarbone.

"The Machine had someone come get me, switch out a body, put in an implant, the works. I woke up in a medical facility in Yonkers. Spent most of my time doing rehab; shrapnel damage." Shaw felt down Root's spine, stopped here and there and felt Root nod when she found lumps. "The Machine... forgot about me, mostly. Or thought I was dead; I wrote in a contingency in case one of us had to go deep cover. She thought I was Nikola Farnsworth," Gen squeaked at the name and Shaw could feel Root smile against her forehead. "She just knew that she had to keep me alive for some reason."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Shaw asked. Root laughed against Shaw.

"I haven't even told The Machine yet," Root said. "But tomorrow is Yalda and we can all be together and tell our stories. Like old times."

"Whole-ass watermelon, like old times," Shaw mumbled against Root, and Root laughed again, ignoring the moisture she could feel on her neck.

\---

December 20, 2014

Shaw removed the last of the tape as Root flinched. Shaw wiped down the skin with an antiseptic before testing the range of movement of the shoulder. Seemingly satisfied, she nodded.

"You're not getting another shirt out of me," Shaw said gruffly.

"So you want to keep me topless, in your apartment, on the longest night of the year?" Root asked flirtatiously. Shaw rolled her eyes and threw the oily shirt back at Root.

"Keep it, and call us even," Shaw said gruffly. Root buttoned the shirt, suddenly looking uncertain.

"Um, thanks Sameen. I didn't mean to intrude on your... tradition. I just... hoped you wanted company. You don't need to be alone," Root tugged her jacket back on.

"I like being alone," Shaw said sharply, then looked over at Root's vulnerable face. "But it's a whole-ass watermelon, Root. Eat up." Root smiled cockily then, and Shaw almost regretted it. "If you're going to stay, you have to tell me a story and read a poem from Divan-e Hafez." Root smiled.

"Oh, I can tell you a story," she said...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still hate watermelon.
> 
> Yalda is the Persian winter solstice celebration which includes everyone getting together and staying up late to make sure everyone is safe on the darkest night of the year. They eat the last of the summer fruit, and they tell stories.
> 
> I have nuts, pomegranate, cherries and peaches and my bird and I will spend the 10 minutes after dusk when she's not a complete grump doing an hecking consume, tomorrow night, which is when Yalda is in 2020.
> 
> This series is taking a lot of research to complete.
> 
> ... I just realised I dont know if America has Timezone, but it is late and I have work tomorrow. I do know it has Wendys.
> 
> I didn't start this intending Root to be alive but it made sense.
> 
> Also lol, remember Skype?
> 
> Also, in Australia yonkers means ages.


	8. Chapter 8

December 21, 2014  
\---

There were bird noises outside the window; dawn was on the way. Root stood and stretched.

"Thank you for the hospitality," Root said, shrugging on her jacket, then her coat, still holding her sore arm a little stiffly by her side. "Have a nice sleep today."

With that Root leaned down and kissed Shaw on the left cheek, then moved to the right the same time Shaw did. Root's mouth caught the corner of Shaw's; she didn't pull away or deepen the contact immediately, just waited a moment. Shaw didn't move, and Root pulled away a little, eyes on Shaw's mouth. "See you in the subway," Root said as she straightened.

\---  
December 21, 2017  
\---

Gen walked into the longue room, surprised to see Shaw sprawled out on the couch, Bear nowhere in sight. Shaw stirred as Gen put the dallah on the stove.

"You're a good kid," Shaw said earnestly as she watched Gen grind the beans. "I mean it."

"I know you don't say anything you don't mean by now, Shaw, and thanks. Someone taught me well," Gen smiled up at Shaw, who patted her on the shoulder and moved to the fridge. "How does aunty Sam like her coffee? She's still here, isn't she?"

"Yeah, I made her take the bed. War wounds." Shaw shrugged, then winced and rubbed her shoulder.

"You've got them too, and it's your house," Gen said.

"I... couldn't make her sleep on the couch," Bear trotted in then. "And you, traitor. Letting yourself get locked in the laundry just because Root gives you a nice bone? Some guard dog you are," Shaw scoffed.

"That coffee smells divine," Root said, padding into the kitchen on bare feet, long legs barely covered by a pair of Shaw's shorts. She kissed Shaw on the cheek, who blushed but didn't move away, and ruffled Gen's messy bed hair. In the daylight it was easier to notice the way one hand lagged at her side. Shaw busied herself frothing the milk.

"What are we doing today?" Gen asked, waiting for the dallah to boil.

Shaw looked at Root.

"Can we... can we go down the river?"

"Down by the bridge?" Shaw asked quietly, and Root nodded. "Mind if Fusco joins us?" Root shook her head.

"You want to call Finch?" Shaw asked. "I'm sure he'd want to know you're..."

"Not just yet. May I?" Root asked, indicating toward Shaw's laptop on the kitchen counter. Shaw nodded, and Root barely even looked up when Shaw placed a coffee next to her. Shaw watched Root's fingers dance on the keyboard the way they always had. Finally, Root looked up.

"She knows. I'll call Finch. Shaw, is it... can I stay a few days? Just until I get something sorted out. I don't have the same... contacts... I used to." Root touched her right ear self-consciously.

"I'll get an air mattress or something," Shaw said, and Gen frowned. Root sipped her coffee then, sighed with enjoyment.

"Thank you for the coffee," Root said.

\---  
December 21, 2014  
\--- 

Shaw woke up disoriented in the afternoon, confused at the sunlight slipping in through the window. She thought back on the night before, remembering the stories Root had told her, of aliases and assassinations, remembered how softly Root had kissed her when she'd moved her head the wrong way, remembered how she'd waited on Shaw before pulling away. Shaw groaned and got dressed. She had the day off work; she might as well go to the subway, knock out some more machines.

\---  
December 21, 2017  
\---

Fusco had been pleased to see Root, if a little shocked. The day in the dim sunlight had been good for all of them, Fusco and Lee dragging Shaw and Gen into a game of catch, Root calling Finch as they played, holding her phone up to let him watch the fun. Bear was wild with excitement, and any time he got too boisterous with Lee or Gen, Shaw barked out a command that had him trotting placidly to her side to sit and calm down.

"I was so sure... forgive me, Miss Groves," Finch had said, and Root had waved him off.

"I was safe. I need a new transplant though, do you know a guy?" Finch recommended a surgeon he knew in the city.

"Miss Groves, surely you can't be considering returning to the team? I've seen little of your injuries but you have significant weakness down one side."

"Never stopped you," Root said quietly, and Finch nodded.

"Very well, Miss Groves."

\---  
December 21, 2014  
\---

Shaw pulled apart dozens of dead machines, handing parts to Root to test and check; circuit boards she resoldered, hard drives and fans she replaced. Shaw could feel Root watching her, could feel something unspoken between them. Root had kissed Shaw, and Shaw had let her.

\---  
December 21, 2017  
\---

"You don't mind, do you, if she stays here?" Shaw asked Gen while Root was in the shower.

"I don't mind, but it's your bed. It's not fair on you," Gen looked up at Shaw.

"I don't mind," Shaw said honestly. The couch here was comfortable, and Shaw had slept a lot of worse places.

Gen swallowed. "If you'd rather... share," Gen started awkwardly, "and you won't because... because I'm here... I don't... it's not..." Shaw sighed.

"I don't think we're there yet. Her injuries were severe; I doubt she sleeps much and she would keep me awake. We talked a bit last night, but..." Shaw looked down at Gen and smiled. "But I'll keep that in mind."

\---

Darkness fell early, as it always did on the solstice. They gathered in the lounge room, telling stories and eating fruit late into the night. Shaw sliced the watermelon, and Root smirked at her. Shaw felt like she'd changed since she last saw Root, like she was less sharp, and she felt like Root had changed too. Shaw almost missed the flirting, but she could read the exhaustion on Root like a page of a book, could read how hard the time between then and now had been. Still, Root had come to her. Of all her contacts, of all people, Root had come here.

Root had come home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy yalda! I am covered in cherry juice from a very messy bird who only knows one song but is happy to dance along to anything.
> 
> She likes watermelon, but I can't give it to her because she rubs her beak on my cheek afterwards and it's very unpleasant to have watermelon juice on your cheek if you do not enjoy watermelons, which I believe I have mentioned I do not.


	9. Chapter 9

December 22, 2014  
\---

Retail was hell. It was barely days until Christmas and every day Shaw had idiots coming in at the last minute, asking stupid questions.

Shaw knew the moment Root entered the store; it was like when the wind shifted, or when you felt the lens of a sniper rifle between your eyes. Just a moment to duck.

Unfortunately, Shaw's cover depended on her keeping her crappy retail job. Root's eyes shone as she looked Shaw up and down,

\---  
December 22, 2017  
\---

Gen had gone to bed at midnight, when she was asked, but she had heard soft laughter into the night. When she woke she tiptoed through the lounge room to the kitchen, startling when she noticed both Root and Shaw, curled up together on the couch. Root's eyes were open and her good hand stroked one of Shaw's wrists.

"Coffee?" Gen asked quietly, and Root nodded against the pillow of Shaw's chest. Shaw woke up as Gen ground the beans, and Gen watched as Shaw helped Root sit upright, then helped Root to her feet.

Root yawned, and Shaw frothed the milk.

"I should have woken you up," Shaw said. "But I think I fell asleep right behind you." Shaw made a diluted frothy coffee for Gen.

"Are you sure she should have coffee?" Root asked dubiously.

"She made the coffee," Shaw pointed out, and Gen drank her coffee triumphantly. "If you're going to stick around for a while, we'll need to find you a good physio," Shaw noted as Root struggled to stir her coffee.

"I'll start looking for a place today," Root said. "My new papers should get here today, and I've got an appointment with the ear guy this afternoon."

"Physio?" Shaw asked, and Root looked away.

"Won't make much difference," Root said. "That's what the last one told me."

"Second opinion?" Shaw asked, and Root shrugged as much as she could.

\---  
December 22, 2014  
\---

"My colleagues are going to start recognising you," Shaw said as Root sat in the customer chair.

"All they'll see is a satisfied customer," Root said, shaking her hair back from her face. "Now, do some work on me so we can talk."

"You could have just called," Shaw said, gritting her teeth as she was forced to look at Root's face, the easy amusement apparent in Root's eyes.

"But this is so much more fun," Root said breathily as Shaw touched her face. Shaw paused, lipstick hovering over Root's lips, lips that Shaw had felt against her own, lips that were even softer than they looked, lips that... Shaw swallowed and focussed, applying the lipstick hastily. Shaw moved to the eyes, and Root didn't look away, even for a moment.

\---  
December 22, 2017  
\---

Shaw stopped the car outside the clinic.

"Want anyone to come in with you?" Shaw asked. Gen nodded, but Root opened the back seat door where she'd been sitting with Bear. Bear leaped out after her with his service-dog harness. 

"We should be fine," Root said, juggling the harness until she could grasp it.

"Promise me you'll take the anesthetic," Shaw said dubiously.

"It's Finch's guy, I'm sure he's lawful good," Root said before she closed the door behind her.

As they drove away Shaw looked over at Gen.

"I'm sorry we're not spending much time on the things you wanted to do these holidays," Shaw said.

"Are you kidding? I get two of you for the holidays."

"I've taken that extra leave. If you want to go see Uncle Finch you can, but he understands and he'll come once the snow melts."

"If you want time alone with Root I can go," Gen offered.

"It's not about what I want," Shaw said. "It's up to you."

"Can I stay?" Gen asked so tentatively that Shaw felt something in her shatter. She looked at the road very hard.

"You are always, always welcome with me. As long as I'm not working, as long as it won't put you in danger, you are always welcome. You know I don't really have a home, but wherever I am there will always be room for you. And if it's too dangerous for you to be with me, you know Uncle Finch wants you to move over East with him. You know he bought that place with a spare room just for you. I wish we had something more... stable in place for you."

"I like our life," Gen said simply. "Especially now I get to drink the coffee I've been making you for years."

"It's not child labour," Shaw said. "It's life skills." Shaw looked over at Gen and squeezed her hand.

\---  
December 22, 2014  
\---

"So what did you need to talk to me about. Do we have a mission?" Shaw asked, close to Root's left ear under the guise of applying foundation.

"Can't a girl just drop in to say hi to a friend?" Root asked coyly.

"We see each other every day, Root," Shaw said impatiently. "Get to the point."

"I need some manpower. Gunpower, whatever. Tomorrow."

"We're even, Root."

"You get to shoot someone," Root pointed out. "Technically I think I'm the one doing you the favour." 

Shaw smiled, the smile she used when something bad was about to happen to someone probably deserving. "Deal."

\---  
December 22, 2017  
\---

Root was subdued when they got home, rifling through the package that had been on the step when they got home.

"Who are you this time?" Shaw asked, taking off Bear's harness.

"Samantha Lovelace," Root said, and Gen squealed. "So you can keep calling me Aunty Sam," Root continued. "And Bear is registered as her service dog, so he can come with me into buildings."

"You mean Bear can come to the Museum of Modern Art with us?" Gen squeaked. Root shugged. 

"If that's what we're doing, sure. Tomorrow?" Root cocked her head to the side, smiled at the voice that had returned to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fell asleep early last night so very late update for yesterday.
> 
> Early as in, the moment I finished work in the study I walked 10 feet to my bed and fell asleep.
> 
> Today's update might be short as I am on leave and have a lot of things to catch up on.
> 
> I gave someone art of my network for Christmas which is possibly the most nerdy thing I have done.
> 
> Thank goodness we are done with the watermelons.


	10. Chapter 10

December 23, 2017  
\---

Gen didn't see anyone in the lounge room when she went to the kitchen that morning. She made herself some toast and put the dallah on, filling Bear's bowl when he trotted in, nuzzling her knees happily before turning to his breakfast. When the dallah boiled and the smell of fresh coffee elicited no response, Gen went to Shaw's bedroom. The door was open, but Gen knocked anyway. Shaw met Gen's eyes, Root sprawled across her, one hand of Shaw's lazily running over her back. Gen held up Shaw's mug and Shaw nodded. Gen haded Shaw the mug, and although Shaw was careful the slight movement woke Root. Gen could see the seizure of muscles down Root's back through the singlet that matched Shaw's when Root woke, saw Shaw's hand chase them immediately.

"Morning, sunshine," Shaw said ironically as Root finally relaxed. Gen put the second coffee on the bedside table. "Give me a hand?" Shaw asked, and Gen helped Shaw to get Root sitting up. Shaw grabbed a bottle of pills and held them out to Root, who took half of those offered and swallowed them dry. Gen handed over the coffee as Shaw tipped the excess pills back in the bottle, holding onto the mug until she was sure Root had a firm grip on it.

"Sorry kid, I'm worse in the mornings," Root said, sipping the coffee. "Worse before coffee, I feel better already." Root smiled shakily at Gen, and Shaw's hand went back to rubbing Root's back.

"Museum of Modern Art today, right?" Shaw asked, and Gen nodded.

\---  
December 23, 2014  
\---

Shaw was a rooftop with a rifle and a nightscope, one of her favourite places to be.

"You ready," Root purred into Shaw's headpiece, and Shaw raised the tip of her rifle twice in acknowledgement. She fired two shots at the target, then packed up and switched to a handgun as she flew down the stairs, Root's voice directing her. There were shots through the alleys, and Shaw heard one followed by a gasp from Root.

"Where are you?" Shaw asked.

"Irrelevant. Move forwards, your next target is half a block away on a fire escape. When you turn the corner aim up 45 degrees along the side of the building." Shaw took him out without breaking stride.

"Root, your location?" Shaw asked again.

"Next target in the building to your left. Entrance on the East side, two floors up the stars." Shaw thundered up the stairs, took the shot.

"Root, your location?" Shaw couldn't hear her own gunshots in the background of Root's call.

"I could use a hand," Root conceded. "Two blocks North, red brick building. Entrance South side." Shaw swore and raced back down the stairs.

It didn't take Shaw long to reach the building, and from there she just followed the sound of gunfire.

Shaw could hear Root talking to someone, and she sped around a corner only to skid to a halt. Root was circling the room and there was someone moving opposite to her. Root was asking questions, but Shaw saw her nod and took out Root's opponent. 

"We clear?" Shaw asked, kicking away the gun of the unknown person. "Or did you have questions for this guy?"

"I do, so I appreciate you using Reese's technique." Root crouched over the man holding his knee, Shaw watching, gun in hand.

\---  
December 23, 2017  
\---

Root knew a surprising amount about art, Shaw found out. It was like having their own tour guide, and Shaw saw other people listening to her as she explained to Gen and Shaw the history of some of the paintings.

"How do you know all this?" Shaw asked as they ate lunch at the cafe.

"I did a bit of forgery, back in the day. If I wasn't coming back to work for our mutual friend, I would take it up again. Very lucrative work," Root said, winking at Shaw.

"Not setting the best example for my kid, Root," Shaw grumbled, seeing Gen's eyes widen. "Art theft is not a career that would fulfil your potential," Shaw said sternly to Gen, who nodded.

"Did you apply for the NASA course I sent through?" Root asked, and Gen nodded enthusiastically. "Good, much more acceptable career path for someone with your capabilities," Root's hand drooped and she dropped half of her sandwich, which Bear promptly ate. Shaw sighed and handed over half of her second sandwich.

"You're booking in with a physio tomorrow," Shaw said sternly. "Even if it's just to get a rubdown." Root nodded meekly and chewed Shaw's sandwich thoughtfully.

\---  
December 23, 2014  
\--

Shaw stood by watching as Root interrogated the fallen man. Shaw saw movement in the shadows and threw herself at Root, knocking her over, even as she fired into the darkness. A scream, cut off suddenly, told her she'd made her mark. She looked down at Shaw, and the bullet-hole in the wall behind where her head had been. Root followed her gaze.

"Why Shaw," Root purred, trapped beneath Shaw. "I didn't know you cared." Shaw glared down at the woman beneath her, feeling where Root's hand grasped her through her coat. Her eyes caught on Root's lips for a moment, then Shaw hurriedly got to her feet. "Get your intel, and let's get out of here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is very hot here and my body thinks that fainting is an appropriate response.
> 
> I felt bad about not buying melons for the bird so she has a kid's snack pack to devour tomorrow, which is Christmas here as it's the 24th already and I am very behind. Watch out for the one-shot tomorrow.


	11. Chapter 11

December 24, 2014  
\---

Shaw had the day off from all of her jobs, and she moped around her apartment. Nothing to do, no one to see. The places she'd like to go weren't on the shadow map, so she was stuck there, alone with her thoughts.

Thoughts of how soft Root's body had been under hers last night.

Thoughts of how soft Root's lips were against her own.

Thought of how soft she was when it came to Root. Shaw growled and grabbed her coat. She could do some last-minute Christmas shopping herself; she was seeing the team tomorrow night and it was probably expected that she should bring presents.

\---  
December 24, 2017  
\---

Gen woke up to the smell of coffee. She shrugged Bear off her legs, where he'd been sleeping, and he looked up at her sadly.

Root was at the kitchen table with a laptop, using her good arm to do something. She looked frustrated. Gen helped herself to a coffee - a little overdone and bitter, she set it aside and took out the milk, being more generous than usual with it.

"It's not as good as yours, is it?" Root asked ruefully. "Sorry I woke you up, I have to edit my name on my medical files before I see the phsyio and my body isn't cooperating."

"Would you like me to take over?" Gen asked, not sure if she was being condescending.

Root looked up. "I'd love that, but I think Shaw would consider it unsuitable."

"Shaw's asleep," Gen said cockily, and Root cocked an eyebrow.

"Like hell she is," Shaw said from where she was propped on the kitchen doorframe. She pushed away from the frame, walked into the kitchen. "I told you Root, no corrupting the kid."

"I need my medical documentation updated to the name I have now," Root said. "Can't quite manage it."

Shaw came over, snagged Root's coffee. Gen saw Shaw's face wrinkle as she drank it but neither of them said anything, and Shaw took another sip as she looked over Root's screen.

"That's migrated," Shaw said, tapping shrapnel on the x-ray on the screen.

"What?" Root asked.

"That shrapnel. x-ray shows it here," Gen saw Shaw touch Root's back, between her shoulder blades, close to her spine. "But I can feel it here," Shaw continued, and Gen saw Shaw's hand move a half-inch across Root's ribcage.

"Are you sure?" Root asked, and Shaw pressed sightly more firmly. "OK, OK, you're sure."

"That would have been left because it was too dangerous to remove it from where it was, but having it float around is worse. Could end up in your lung. I can feel it from here," Root felt Shaw's fingers twitch, as though she longed to reach in and pluck the metal from between her bones. "It'd only take a minute to remove."

"Risks?" Root asked.

"Less than pulling it out of your spinal column, but still high. But - you'd gain at least 20% more functionality in your arm with it gone. It's trapping your dorsal scapular nerve, which is causing the spasms. Why didn't your doctors pick up on this?"

"They were great until the funding ran out," Root said bluntly. "And I didn't have access to my auxiliary accounts while I was in there."

"And now?"

"I'll get an x-ray today to confirm, and get booked in for surgery next week." Root looked up and smiled at Shaw, who still had her hand on the shrapnel. "Nice catch. I always love it when you play doctor."

"I'd take it out myself," Shaw started. "But I don't have an autoclave or anesthetic."

"I don't mind if you don't," Root said, and she felt Shaw's fingers shake against her. Shaw finished the burnt coffee. 

"Anyone for a second pot?" Shaw asked, emptying the dallah completely.

Gen sat next to Root and followed her guidance to update the records. Shaw watched, a small smile on her face. Gen looked over and grinned back.

\---

December 24, 2014  
\---

Shaw hated Christmas shopping. The repetitive songs, the crowds, the gaudy tinsel everywhere. She stopped by a few weapon shops that were thankfully less obsessive about the holiday and manage to snag a few Christmas deals. She had a rare old book for Finch that stank of vanilla, and she'd got John a credit with his tailor; suits never came in his size. Fusco and his kid had gift cards for the game store, and Zoe had a new taser - one that went with that red bag and shoe set Shaw had admired on the older woman. But for Root she only had a knife - a nice knife, but a knife nonetheless, and it seemed impersonal. She had some nail polish too, but she'd swiped that from work and it didn't count.

\---  
December 24, 2017  
\---

Gen and Shaw picked up Root from the clinic on their way back from Central Park.

"Good news?: Shaw asked, seeing the smile on Root's face as she got in the back of the car. Bear lept in and Root shut the door behind him.

"You were right, and I'm all booked in to get the last of the shrapnel out. I'll need physical therapy for another couple of months but they say I should regain a lot more mobility."

"Let's go home," Gen said. "It's cold."

"Speaking of, I have access to my funds. I've picked up an apartment a few blocks from the station. Fully furnished," Root added.

"Root, you're not going anywhere. You'll need a carer until you get your surgery, and then you'll need one afterward," Shaw said, looking in the rear-view mirror as she pulled into traffic.

"Are you offering?" Root asked shyly. "I was going to hire someone, get out of your hair."

"You can't leave us, Aunty Sam." Gen said firmly. "And you definitely can't take Bear with you."

"I guess that settles that then," Root said, the uncertain grin of before replaced with a smile. Root caught her eye in the rear-view mirror and smiled back.

\---

December 24, 2014  
\---

Shaw wandered aimlessly, always within the shadow map. She passed a computer shop and looked in the window absently. There was an Intel stick and Shaw went in to ask about it, coming out a few minutes later with a wrapped box.

\---  
December 24, 2017  
\---  
Shaw came home with a few groceries, emptied the paper bag on the table and put a bottle of black nail polish in front of Root.

"I can't manage that at the moment," Root said, looking sadly at the bottle.

"I figured. I'll do it after dinner." Shaw said, putting a pot on the stove. She threw in some onions she'd chopped before she realised she needed carrots and went out to the shops. She threw the meat in to brown. Root stood up, came close behind Shaw, and wrapped her arms around the smaller woman, resting her cheek against Shaw's face. "What's this for?" Shaw asked, curious but not moving away.

"You're so... considerate. Letting me stay, bringing me the one thing I desperately missed, cooking dinner. You're very... domesticated. It looks good on you."

"Had to cook for me and Gen anyway," Shaw said gruffly. "And you're in no state to be living by yourself, no offense."

"None taken," Root said, kissing Shaw's temple. Gen walked in, giggled and walked back out. Shaw could hear her pull out the ladder.

"Careful on the ladder," Shaw called.

"Sure, mom, Gen said sarcastically.

"And the nail polish, that was selfish. You never wore it in the sims, so seeing you without it makes me... uneasy. Like I'm back there and none of this is real."

"Don't I feel real to you?" Root purred, pressing closer, and Shaw could feel where Root pressed against her back, the softness of her juxtaposed with the hard pressure from her jutting hips.

"Need to feed you up," Shaw said. "All I feel is bones," Shaw lied. She tilted her head so she could see Root properly. "I need to get other ingredients from the fridge, so, pleasant as this has been, you need to let go of me."

"That's a shame," Root said, letting go enough that Shaw rotated into her. "But if you give me one for the road, I might be able to manage." Root looked down at Shaw's lips and ducked her head a little. Shaw hesitated, but she remembered how many times she'd kissed Root before and how it had never, ever been a bad decision, so she closed the gap, bought her lips to the mouth she knew so well. It was soft and slow, and Shaw didn't want to pull away. 

"Ugh, you guys made me waste my time," Shaw heard Gen say from the kitchen doorway. The doorframe was hung with a copious amount of mistletoe.

"I'm guessing you're on board with this?" Shaw asked laughingly, still encircled in Root's arms.

"Duh," Gen said, and turned the TV on. Shaw kissed Root again, just for the joy of it, then she went to the fridge.

\---

December 24, 2014  
\---

Shaw picked up some fresh fruit from the market and headed home, still thinking about Root. She bit into a red apple, remembering the time they'd stayed in a hotel together and Root hadn't even... and staying up all night to fight a biohazard and Root making inuendos the whole night but never even touching her. It was enough to make her angry - but why was she angry? She was angry that Root had kissed her 3 days ago.. but was she also angry that Root hadn't kissed her sooner? Shaw shook her head and turned on her tv as soon as she got home, hoping the noise from the game would drown out her spiralling thoughts.

\---  
December 24, 2017  
\---

True to her word, Shaw painted Root's nails after dinner. When she was done she pulled Root's hand to her mouth and kissed her knuckles, then pulled Root closer and kissed her mouth.

"Can I have nails like Root?" Gen asked.

"Sure, want me to teach you? I used to be a beautician, after all." Gen nodded, and Shaw painted her nails too, pointing out techniques and tricky parts. When she was done she pulled Gen in for a hug, ruffled her hair and kissed her forehead.

"You're smudging my nails!" Gen called from where she was pressed against Shaw's shoulder. Shaw chuckled and let her go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The heat is making me hallucinate more than usual which isn't really fun. It's just patches of colour but they obscure my vision and my brain is borked.
> 
> Merry Christmas Eve for most of you - it is Christmas Day here and I am in my underoodles under the aircon writing fanfic and don't need to interact with anyone but a bird - a bird who is thankful for the melon medley.
> 
> Merry Hexmass is up and is the work that inspired this series.


	12. Chapter 12

December 25, 2014  
\---

Shaw stepped into the subway station, surprised by the fairy lights someone had strewn everywhere. She had a few bags with her; Chinese takeout and the presents for the fugitives. Fusco had agreed to take on Gen for the holidays; he'd been added to her guardian list when they had to go underground. There was a Christmas tree down here, and John looked sheepish when she glared at him. Root was currently trimming the tree, underneath which was a small pile of packages. Shaw handed Bear a package that looked like a bone and he carted it off carefully to his dog bed under Finch's desk.

"Ah, Miss Shaw. Now you're here the festivities can truly begin," Finch said, and Shaw rolled her eyes, putting down the takeaway on the subway bench. She walked over to the tree and put her presents under it, avoiding looking at Root's long torso as she stretched up with tinsel, careful to avoid looking at that little gap between her shirt and her pants where a small expanse of pale skin was exposed. 

"Merry Christmas, Shaw," Root said breathily, reaching for more tinsel.

"Tis the season, whatever that means," Shaw said, shoving her empty hands in her coat pockets.

She went into the subway car and looked over the consoles. No more yellow lights, which was nice. Shaw looked over to the terminal, saw something out of place.

"Root, what's this?" Shaw asked, holding up a teddy bear. Behind her, the screen blinked angrily.

"Shaw, don't mess with that," Root said, hurrying over to replace the fluffy teddy bear. "It prevents the OOC error."

"How can a... never mind," Shaw sighed. "System health?"

"Pretty good, since you switched out those consoles for me." Root slid her hand onto Shaw's elbow.

"Food's getting cold," Reese yelled, and Root pulled Shaw to the subway door by the hand. She paused at the doors, stepped closer to Shaw.

"Look up, Shaw," Root breathed close to Shaw's ear. Shaw did, and noticed the sprig of mistletoe in the doorway. She looked back to Root, who was still very close, but she was holding back, waiting for Shaw's reaction.

"Oh for Christmas' sake," Shaw said hurriedly, grasping Root's shoulders firmly, but leaning in slowly and uncertainly. Root didn't move in, her lower lip caught between her teeth as she watched Shaw's indecision. Root's hands moved; one to Shaw's waist and the other to the back of Shaw's neck. Her eye contact remained encouraging, and Shaw eventually pressed her lips against Root's under the mistletoe, lit by fairy lights of the subway station and the green lights of the consoles in the subway car. Root's mouth opened under the gentle pressure of Shaw's lips and Shaw pressed closer, moved her hands down to the lapels of Root's jacket, feeling how soft Root was beneath her knuckles. Root sighed in encouragement, the hand on Shaw's neck moving to cup her cheek, the other dropping to Shaw's hip. Shaw had always imagined their first kiss to be a frenzied affair, with both of them battling for dominance, more like wrestling, a feral match of strength. But it would have been... uncivilized... unprofessional... wrong, here in the subway, now, with Root's hands warming her under her coat, the taste of strawberries in Root's mouth, the heartbeat that had sped up beneath Shaw's palms where they had found themselves on Root's chest, thumping as hard as Shaw's. Shaw slid her hands down to Root's waist, slid her arms around her as she slowly pulled away from the siren call of Root's mouth. Root followed her as she pulled away, drew her into another kiss. Shaw pulled away again, and Root pushed Shaw's hair back from her face.

"Merry Christmas," Root breathed, and Shaw's mouth caught the words, inhaled them, held them in her lungs which directed them through her circulatory system. She pressed forward with a quick peck, then strode away into the subway.

\---

December 25, 2015  
\---

Shaw was vaguely aware of tinsel whenever they bought her out of a simulation. She had started hating being out of the simulations; every time she woke up she had the fresh memory of a gunshot to her head, and faded memories of the way Root had touched her, now that she had the chance. She was ashamed of her need, ashamed that Team Samaritan knew her weakness, ashamed that she went so willingly to Root each time; at the time it was fine, but when she woke she knew she'd exposed not just herself but Root yet again to the entire Samaritan team. And God, the boring conversations her captors tried to hold with her.

The more time she spent in a simulation, the more time she spent with Root. Even if she wasn't real. In the moments between, at least the tinsel reminded her of that Christmas in the place she had been the year before, with the team, with Root actually, actually kissing her - and actually, actually meaning it.

\---

Root threw Gen's duffle inside the door, Bear nosing his way past her to Gen, tail wagging as he tried not to leap up on the girl, whimpering with impatience. Gen shut the door behind her and dropped to the ground, wrestling with Bear. Root smiled faintly at the laughter from Gen, carrying the bag to the spare room of the apartment she'd taken. This winter was darker than usual; no Shaw, no Machine in her ear. But Fusco had asked her to take Gen for the next week and Root was almost looking forward to the company. While she prefered to be alone, no one liked to be alone for Christmas.

"What's this?" Gen asked, fingering a tulle bag of nuts on the mantle.

"I made it for Shaw, for the winter solstice. I was hoping to have found her by now." Root sighed and Gen went to her, eyes large as she looked up at the adult she was becoming more familiar with.

"You miss her," Gen said. She hugged her temporary guardian. "I do too."

"Good thing we've got each other, then," Root said, trying not to cry in front of a child.

\---

December 25, 2016  
\---

Shaw wasn't known for her enthusiasm but even for her she was unusually lacklustre.

"We're going to the Fusco's this year?"

"Yeah, he's got Lee. You guys will have fun." Shaw looked up suddenly. "You do like hanging out with him, don't you? I'm not forcing you into something uncomfortable?"

"Nah, we're good. He sucks at Mario Kart though." Shaw looked relieved, looked away.

"I know you miss her," Gen started.

"Don't," Shaw said gently. "I do, but I don't want to talk about it. Her. Not now."

"If you do..." Gen offered.

"Thanks kid," Shaw reached across the couch and dragged Gen into a hug. "You're a winner. Now go open your presents."

\---

December 25, 2017  


\---

Gen woke up and thought that she didn't even need any presents this year. But still, she'd seen the stash under the tree last night, all shiny and enticing. It was well past dawn; a perfectly acceptable time to wake up the rest of the house. She bounced into Shaw's - no, Shaw and Root's - room and sat carefully on the bed, careful not to jostle Sam. Calling her aunty seemed a bit... weird now, since she didn't call Shaw aunty and they were, from the way they were once again tangled together, romantically involved.

Gen tried not to wriggle with excitement but Bear joined her on the bed and between the two of them they woke up the adults of the house, who blinked awake blearily.

"Merry Christmas!" Gen squeaked, while Bear tried to lick every square inch of anyone he could reach, picking up on Gen's excitement.

"Coffee," groaned Shaw, burying her head in Root's neck. Root stroked her hair and sat up, flinching. Gen reached for the pill bottle and handed it to Root, following it with the water on the bedstand. Root took them thankfully.

"I'll get the coffee," Root said.

"Um, no, that's ok," Shaw said, sitting up. "I'll get it."

"I can teach Sam how to make it?" Gen offered.

"Deal," Shaw said, lying back down. Gen helped Root up and in the kitchen she showed her the best way to make the coffee.

\---

December 25, 2018

\---

Gen woke up, groaned and rolled over. She could hear Christmas music from the kitchen, Root singing along. She could also smell coffee though, so she got up reluctantly, went to the kitchen, patting Bear on her way through.

"Hey kiddo," Root said cheerfully, putting a plate of pancakes in front of Gen.

"I'm too old to be called that," Gen groused and Root laughed, but not unkindly.

"I know, but you don't start college until the fall, so I have to call you that while I still can."

"Shaw still asleep?" Gen asked.

"Yeah; her mission last night went south pretty fast."

"Injuries?" Gen asked.

"Few bruises, nothing major." 

"Good." Root looked at Gen.

"She loves you, you know," Root said suddenly. "She just... doesn't know... can't express..."

"I know," Gen said.

"I love you too," Root said, looking down shyly at her own pancakes.

"I know," Gen said absently, halfway through a pancake. She looked up after a moment. "I love you too." Root smiled and the vulnerability showed Gen that Shaw hadn't said it to her either. "I love both my superspy gay moms."

Shaw snorted behind her, and Gen turned. A bruise was forming on Shaw's cheek. "Right back at you, nerds," Shaw said, coming up behind Gen and kissing her temple, wrapping her arms around Gen from behind.

"God Shaw, you're so embarrassing," Gen said, squirming, but not hard enough to escape. When Shaw released her, Gen kissed her cheek. "Merry Christmas."

"Who is here that you're embarrassed to be hugged by your superspy mom in front of?" Shaw asked, moving on to Root, holding her for a moment before kissing her softly.

"Bear," Gen said obstinately. 

"She's a proper little teenager, isn't she?" Shaw asked Root. Gen rolled her eyes.

"She gets that from you," Root said, and Shaw laughed, digging Root's fork into Gen's pancakes and stealing a mouthful. 

"Bear is part of the family," Shaw pointed out.

"We're not a family. We're a symphony," Root said, and Shaw smiled at her in that goofy way she did sometimes.

"Whatever," Gen said, but she was smiling as she said it.

\---

December 2019  


\---

"We need you to come home," Shaw said on the video call. "Something bad is going down. We can't stop it, and I'd feel better if you guys were back here when it comes."

"But we only just got to Italy," Gen complained.

"You've been all over Europe all winter, young lady. This is for your own good. Put Harold or Grace on, please?"

Gen disappeared.

"I've seen the discrepancies too," Finch said. "We're already booked to come home. Don't worry so much, Ms. Shaw, we will keep her safe."

"I know. I trust you. I don't like what I'm seeing, though. Even Root is worried, and you know her sources."

"Meet us at the airport. We'll be there... 2 am tomorrow."

"Make sure she sleeps on the flight."

"I never pictured you as a helicopter mom," Grace said, coming behind Finch on the feed, hand on his shoulder. He smiled up at her.

"Yeah, well, we don't normally see this sort of thing."

"True," Finch said. "Worry not, Ms. Shaw. We will return your ward to your care soon."

\---

December 25, 2020

\---

Zoom was for idiots, was Root's opinion. All the unencrypted data. That's why she had created her own secure video application, which she had remotely installed on Gen's laptop. She dialled, and Gen answered.

"Hey kiddo," Root said. Gen rolled her eyes. 

"Sam, I'm 16. I thought you were going to stop calling me that when I started college."

"You'll always be my kiddo," Root said, grinning. Gen grinned back, mock annoyance gone. "Did you get all your presents?"

"Yeah, I told Shaw they came in yesterday. Cutting it close, you guys."

"Well, the postal system..." Root started.

"Yeah, I know. Did you get yours?"

"Yes, thank you, sweetie." Someone came up behind Gen, and Root looked surprised.

"Oh, Tasha is here too," Gen said, smiling at her suitemate.

"Hi Tasha. You should have told me she was staying over Christmas, I would have sent more."

"Sam, you sent an entire turkey. We'll be fine. Thank you, by the way." Shaw threw herself on the couch next to Root.

"She didn't want to send an entire turkey but I told her your appetite takes after mine and she agreed," Shaw said proudly. She made herself comfortable, torso over Root's lap so she could see the screen. "Oh, hey Tash."

"Hi Ms. Shaw," Tash said. "Thanks for the board games."

"You're welcome. Your parents calling?"

"Yeah, they're East coast so it'll be a bit later. I was just grabbing a drink; I'll let you guys catch up."

"Merry Christmas Tash," Shaw called.

Shaw and Root caught up with what Gen had been doing at M.I.T.; she was in winter courses and the university wasn't online enough for Gen to come home yet and study remotely.

"We love you," said Root.

"Really? Both of you?" Teased Gen, and Shaw rolled her eyes. Root put her arm around Shaw's waist and held her.

"Of course we do." Gen could see Root's arm tighten on Shaw. "I love you Gen," Shaw said finally, and Gen knew Shaw never said anything she didn't mean.

"I know," says Gen softly. "I knew from the moment you hugged me. It's nice to hear it though. I love you both too."

\---

"Your moms seem nice," Tash said later as they ate turkey together. Gen considered telling her that they weren't her moms, they were her guardians - adoption would raise more eyebrows in government departments, and they could update the guardianship papers much more easily - but she didn't.

"Yeah, they're great," Gen said finally.

"Did you ever wish you were adopted by, like, a more... conventional couple?" Tash asked.

Gen knew she meant 'straight', but instead, she thought back, to covert missions, to moving houses in the middle of the night, of Shaw coming home with knife wounds, of Shaw always standing between her and danger, of Uncle Finch teaching her to build her own computer from scratch, of her Uncle Fusco and cousin Lee playing Mario Kart, of a former assassin coming home injured to the person who was the closest thing Gen had to a mother and becoming like another one to her, of Bear sleeping on her bed, of Shaw's rare but wholesome laughter, of coffee and museums and the overwhelming sense of having being loved so much by such an extended family that she had been taking video calls all day and still had a group call tonight...

"Not even for a moment," Gen said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is way longer than I intended but still doesn't have everything I wanted in it. I feel like there's enough for another chapter but I like the ending too much.
> 
> I may revisit this in the next few days for an edit; this has all been written on the go.
> 
> Let me know if you want another chapter and I'll see what I can do.
> 
> 'Tis the Season, whatever that means', is something Faith says in season 3, episode 10 of Buffy:  
> https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/acf92f8c-a169-4813-9bd6-9f28a743af63#AeHDCbgJ2Q.copy

**Author's Note:**

> Started as a one-shot and we ended up here.
> 
> One-shot might be posted on Christmas day.


End file.
